If you had to have a wireless camera what would you choose?

[xlarons]

Hi,

I'm almost certainly going down the Dahua Starlight route for my outdoor cctv but have a need for a couple of portable wireless ip cameras. I have heard bad reviews of NETGEAR Arlo and I have Ring as my doorbell and the image quality is shuddersome, so I bet they are out of the question, but has anyone any good experience with wifi ipcams?

Cheers.

 

[VorlonFrog]

Not really. You'll see mostly strong recommendations AGAINST any kind of wifi/wireless for IP security cameras. That being said, I use wireless media bridges in a couple of spots, simply because they have better wireless signal strength and quality than the cameras themselves.

 

[seagate_surfer]

The Skybell HD is a strong contender in the wireless world for doorbell cameras, motion sensor, live streaming, 1080p recordings, night vision , accessible from mobile devices and computers that means you can answer video calls from the camera when not at home, it works well as long as you have the router/extender nearby, check it out: SkyBell HD - SkyBell WiFi Doorbell

 

[marku2]

Those rebranding hikvision cubes are good in the USA there cheaper
And work well for indoor use also dauha and hikvision do the ball type
Mine are wired but all my kids I have given them the ball type as baby monitors and set them up on wifi disabled the dhcp and they can unplug and move to any room there happy with them

 

[weberbn]

I'm in a similar situation. I have two spots outside where running wires are basically impossible. I have power, but no real way to get a network cable to them. But I want/need cams on my side gate and pool.

Currently I can't find anything that actually fits the bill since Reolink cams are junk. They fit the specs at face value, but don't do what they claim. Indoors the Annke/Hikivision cubes work well and can be ran via wifi, network or network with POE which is pretty freakin' flexible.

Maybe some Amcrest outdoor domes with wifi? I have a couple of their PTZ indoor cams and they seem to work relatively well.

 

[fenderman]

I'm in a similar situation. I have two spots outside where running wires are basically impossible. I have power, but no real way to get a network cable to them. But I want/need cams on my side gate and pool.

Currently I can't find anything that actually fits the bill since Reolink cams are junk. They fit the specs at face value, but don't do what they claim. Indoors the Annke/Hikivision cubes work well and can be ran via wifi, network or network with POE which is pretty freakin' flexible.

Maybe some Amcrest outdoor domes with wifi? I have a couple of their PTZ indoor cams and they seem to work relatively well.

Any camera can be turned into a Wi-Fi camera using a cheap Wi-Fi Bridge... Or you can use Powerline adapters

 

[weberbn]

you do realize that requires way more hardware? It means more power adapters, probably a surge protector/power strip, and a network cable. Not exactly ideal in terms of keeping it simple and easy to make look nice. Plus I am unaware of any weather rated wifi bridges. (That being said, if you know of one I am all ears)

You could house it all in one of these

https://www.amazon.com/SOCKiTBOX-Model-Weatherproof-Electrical-Large/dp/B018HHMBW2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1528043270&sr=8-8&keywords=water+proof+electrical+boxes

But I would be somewhat concerned about heat during the summer months. Any and all electronics create heat. Jamming them into an airtight box then putting them outside in 90F+ weather probably will lead to a short life span.

EOP adapters are not reliable at all, nor do they even work in some houses. They require a properly grounded connection I believe (I could be wrong about that) they have to be on the same panel (Hell, I have seen houses where they have to be on the same breaker to even work. But thats not normal) and they don't always work right if your plugging them into surge protectors. There are some definite limitations on them that don't fit all use cases. I agree, they can be worthwhile and not to throw them out of the picture completely.

Truthfully, I find it annoying as hell that there isn't a good option for this on the market. I did find this however, which appears to be a Dahua dome with wifi built in.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M59EEXE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3O870EHPBXYLW&psc=1

Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[looney2ns]

I'm in a similar situation. I have two spots outside where running wires are basically impossible. I have power, but no real way to get a network cable to them. But I want/need cams on my side gate and pool.

Currently I can't find anything that actually fits the bill since Reolink cams are junk. They fit the specs at face value, but don't do what they claim. Indoors the Annke/Hikivision cubes work well and can be ran via wifi, network or network with POE which is pretty freakin' flexible.

Maybe some Amcrest outdoor domes with wifi? I have a couple of their PTZ indoor cams and they seem to work relatively well.

There are almost always a way to run a cat5e cable. It just requires a 1/4" hole.
Hire someone that does it for a living. They'll have it done in an hour.

 

[marku2]

EOP adaptors not reliable.
How do you come too that conclusion
I have used them successfully for 2 yrs now never once have they given me grief
When to power goes off they boot back up and work just get good ones follow
The manufacturers instructions and there fine
Other wise get cable to where you need

 

[weberbn]

Well, when there is no actual path to the place to take, its sort of difficult to run wire. Trust me, I do this stuff for a living too. I have pulled coax, cat5/6 etc all over the place at work.

EOP can and do crash. Or at least they do at my house. I have gone through multiple sets at my house and none remain stable. Hell, some refuse to even connect. I suspect the former owners crappy DIY attempts may be to blame. I have yet to be able to hunt down why they act like this in my house.

No opinions on the cam I linked above?

 

[VorlonFrog]

In my garage at home, a T-Mobile TM-AC1900 router serves as a wifi access point and wireless bridge back into the house. I use DD-WRT software on all my routers. I'm certain the temperature inside my garage gets well above 90 F and into the low 100s F during the summer. It's been good for two years now.

 

[marku2]

The dauha cam get one from Andy @EMPIRETECANDY and give it a go
There won’t be any quality issues with it
If you can set up an access point for a stronger signal you should not have a problem

 

[automaton]

As an IP cam novice (been using Blue Iris with WiFi Hikvision's for a few years now, but indoors only) but technical person (software developer), I think the biggest barrier to entry for 'regular people' installing out-door cam's is just that nobody does it well. Telling a noob to start drilling holes or hire someone to run cat5/6 is just not realistic, I'm sorry.

And looking at the cliff notes on this site (which is great btw) is way too technical for a lay-person, more-over expecting them to sift through the 1,000s of available cams and models available on AliExpress and Amazon.

I'm not an IP cam expert, and I don't want to be. I just want to buy something that fits my needs, and unfortunately for me (and many) that leads back to single packaged stuff - Arlo, Nest, Ring, Reolink and others that are essentially plug-and-play and have WiFi. They aren't very "good", no doubt about it, and many lock you into their eco-system, but you know exactly what's in the box (hardware-wise), you get support, it comes with a power supply and you don't need to drill any holes. More-over it's up and running fairly quickly.

IMO - there's a huge gap in the market right now for anyone willing to simply package up a Dahua or whatever with the proper stuff (mounts, screws, long power adapter, proper English manual, etc) and market it. Hell looking at Reolink's firmware I'm pretty sure they're just doing something along these lines.

But until that gap is filled, I think these cloud-based camera's will continue to eat up the market for the same reason "the year of Linux on desktop" never comes.

 

[fenderman]

As an IP cam novice (been using Blue Iris with WiFi Hikvision's for a few years now, but indoors only) but technical person (software developer), I think the biggest barrier to entry for 'regular people' installing out-door cam's is just that nobody does it well. Telling a noob to start drilling holes or hire someone to run cat5/6 is just not realistic, I'm sorry.

And looking at the cliff notes on this site (which is great btw) is way too technical for a lay-person, more-over expecting them to sift through the 1,000s of available cams and models available on AliExpress and Amazon.

I'm not an IP cam expert, and I don't want to be. I just want to buy something that fits my needs, and unfortunately for me (and many) that leads back to single packaged stuff - Arlo, Nest, Ring, Reolink and others that are essentially plug-and-play and have WiFi. They aren't very "good", no doubt about it, and many lock you into their eco-system, but you know exactly what's in the box (hardware-wise), you get support, it comes with a power supply and you don't need to drill any holes. More-over it's up and running fairly quickly.

IMO - there's a huge gap in the market right now for anyone willing to simply package up a Dahua or whatever with the proper stuff (mounts, screws, long power adapter, proper English manual, etc) and market it. Hell looking at Reolink's firmware I'm pretty sure they're just doing something along these lines.

But until that gap is filled, I think these cloud-based camera's will continue to eat up the market for the same reason "the year of Linux on desktop" never comes.

Nothing you said is further from the truth. The proof is in the pudding, 53,000 users here and most are lay folks. Lots of them either run the cable themselves or hire someone to do it. Who do you think buys these Costco kits or Amazon kits? Certainly not professional installers. Folks are buying them and somehow installing them. Only a complete fool would pay MORE for a wireless camera like arlo and NEST, and then pay perpetual monthly fees. Hell you can pay a professional to install everything and still come out ahead.
You always have to drill holes unless you are foolish enough to use a battery powered camera. (Battery powered cameras are useless garbage. ) If you are not drilling holes you are either plugging into an outdoor outlet or running a visible cable, insane. Why are you so afraid to drill holes, you do understand that holes are drilled when any outdoor fixture is installed, lighting, alarm siren/strobe, exhausts, cable internet, telephones etc. You also have to drill holes to mount any camera securely.
Reolink is a scam lying company - that includes fake amazon reviews. They should be avoided.

 

[mat200]

..Telling a noob to start drilling holes or hire someone to run cat5/6 is just not realistic, I'm sorry. ...

Hi Automaton,

1) "Telling a noob to start drilling holes or hire someone to run cat5/6 is just not realistic, I'm sorry"

IF you want a reliable security camera system your only option is to to wired. Like majority here I prefer a wired IP PoE solution.

Cloud = unreliable and typically with a locked down camera(s) and service fees is basically leasing your security camera system from them.

It is also reasonable to hire someone, people do it all the time for jobs they are unwilling to do.

2) "And looking at the cliff notes on this site (which is great btw) is way too technical for a lay-person, more-over expecting them to sift through the 1,000s of available cams and models available on AliExpress and Amazon."

It is completely possible to buy a wired IP Kit and plug the parts in. For many of us here we prefer to customize our solutions to maximize our results.

3) I just want to buy something that fits my needs, and unfortunately for me (and many) that leads back to single packaged stuff - Arlo, Nest, Ring, ..

Q: Do you need a reliable system?

If so, you have to go with a wired non-cloud dependent solution. I can not stress this enough.

Q: Do you want to not lease your cameras?

If so, you have to go with a non-cloud dependent solution. If you are tied to a cloud service provider - even if the service is free today, you are no longer in control of your equipment. ( unless you jail break it )

4) ..Reolink and others that are essentially plug-and-play and have WiFi.

Reolink also makes wired kits, which are as much work as installing better quality HIkvision OEM and Dahua OEM wired IP PoE kits. As mentioned, Reolink for numerous reasons is known as a bad actor as well as having poorer quality products.

You can also find Dahua OEM and Hikvision OEM wifi kits under various brands.

WiFi - is problematic for streaming, especially with consumer grade equipment. As a general rule it should be avoided as the frequency of problems increases with users / consumers of such products who do not have quality equipment nor the willingness to manage WiFi infrastructure properly. Furthermore there are significant issues with interference on the open frequencies.

5) IMO - there's a huge gap in the market right now for anyone willing to simply package up a Dahua or whatever with the proper stuff (mounts, screws, long power adapter, proper English manual, etc) and market it.

Each and everyday Costco, LaView, Amcrest, Lorex, Swann, and others sell IP PoE kits which include all those items you mention.

6) But until that gap is filled, I think these cloud-based camera's will continue to eat up the market ...

People like to buy easy solutions, and would happily sell themselves into slavery for promises... note, this is basically how the USA was formed. ( I am referring to indentured servants - many of whom died during their indentured servitude and at one point joined with the slaves ( chattel, non-indentured ) to rebel due to miserable conditions and abuse.

This is also why we had the housing bubble.. too many people willing to believe lies.

7) ..for the same reason "the year of Linux on desktop" never comes.

Linux and the related GNU/open source licensed products have basically come to dominate all other platforms besides the "desktop" which Microsoft still owns.
Internet servers, routers, IP cameras, IoT devices, mobile, gaming platforms, and much more are progeny of "Linux" in part or in whole.

Microsoft has even brought qualities of linux to the Microsoft desktop... Power Shell, .. and now Bash... so the Windows system you see on your desktop now has more linux ( and unix principles ) in it than ever.

Note: Apple Mac actually is one of those systems dependent on open source and is steadily grabbing significant market share.

 

[TonyR]

I just want to buy something that fits my needs,

You and 25,000 others...all with different needs. You are there...you have eyes, and a tape measure, know your budget, can look into your attic, your crawlspace, etc.

....there's a huge gap in the market right now for anyone willing to simply package up a Dahua or whatever with the proper stuff (mounts, screws, long power adapter, proper English manual, etc) and market it.

The stuff that comes in the package may or may not meet your needs and if not, you're paying for something that you don't want! Again, it's up to YOU...study, ask questions, read some more, then make a decision! If you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world...you get up, brush yourself off and take a different route, a different strategy. At some point you have to quit reading, close the book and get dirty...THAT'S how you learn, THAT'S how you get better at ANY endeavor...not just IP cams.

 

[Q™]

...Any camera can be turned into a Wi-Fi camera using a cheap Wi-Fi Bridge...

Fenderman speak truth! I turned five (5) wired Dahua and Longse cameras into WiFi cams by using two (2) Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco M5’s to bridge from my gazebo LAN to my house LAN and it's been running like a champ -- non-stop -- since Febuary 2018...Teletubbies and embarrasing wiring (still not fixed) be damned...

A bridge not too far (Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco M5)

 

[TonyR]

+1 to that^^. Have installed several UBNT Loco M5's layer 2 transparent bridges from houses to shop/barns with cams, 3 years & dozens of Alabama lightning storms later....all still chuggin' away. Hard to beat UBNT.

 

[marku2]

Go to YouTube there is a Canadian guy who reviews hikvision stuff that most people can afford and use,he has a shed that he set up using power line adapters and wifi bridges and explained in layman terms it’s not that hard
Once you understand the basics
all of us are capable of learning if one has the desire to learn

 

[automaton]

I understand what you are all saying, and as a somewhat more technical person I get it.

On the other hand, as someone with a newborn who can only allocate an hour or two a week to a project which involves putting up outdoor cameras for mild security concerns (as in, it's more to monitor who's at the door, and I am not really concerned about security at all), it's much easier to buy a packaged product which is easy to setup. And ideally, also lets me use Blue Iris with it.

I personally design, write and sell software. And I always ask myself: would my mom be able to use this and figure it out without any instruction? It does no good to berate people just because they don't have the desire to learn. This forum is amazing because of the knowledge, no question, but my mom would never come here and if she did, she'd never get anything of value. I mean, just look at Nest's latest quarter, their sales speak for themselves. There's a reason.

I wish I had more time for this hobby (as that's what it is to me), but at the moment I don't. So what I was trying to do was buy a IP cam, like the Hikvision's I have inside, that are plug and play. And like a "mom", I don't have the time or inclination to buy cat5e/6 and put ends on it, drill holes in the house and drywall. I don't have time to create a separate subnet at 192.168.1.xx just to setup a camera, screw around with CN/EN flashing, nor try to find a 12v power cord that happens to work with some specific model. I also don't have time to try and decipher a 12-digit model # (your cliff notes are great at explaining this btw), or figure out if I need 2.6mm, 3.8mm etc.

But it's very important to note that none of this is a criticism of this forum. Rather, it's a criticism of the vendors. There are always experts in any field which demand total customizability and this forum is amazing for that, but for the majority of people it's too difficult and they aren't interested. I'm sure you see this in threads posted by people everyday.

For the record this forum, and the thread I originally posted has been very valuable in providing me options and information.